A blog by Diane Marz
Petite in Paris

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Shopping in France

How much could you get back?

Enter the price shown in the store to estimate your VAT refund, fees, and what you’ll spend after the refund.

Rules checked September 6, 2026

Your purchase

Estimate the refund

Use the eligible total for your export form. This model assumes goods taxed at the standard 20% VAT rate. Results update as you type and stay entirely in your browser.

France currently requires more than €100 of eligible goods at a participating retailer or qualifying retail group over up to three consecutive days. Unrelated receipts cannot simply be combined.

12% is a planning assumption for standard luxury purchases. Use the percentage quoted by the store or refund operator when known.

Add a home-currency estimate

Use your card issuer’s rate for the closest estimate. Foreign transaction fees and import duties are not included.

Estimated result

Estimated refund€360.00
Net price after refund€2,640.00
VAT included at 20%
€500.00
Estimated payout
72% of included VAT
VAT not returned
€140.00

Purchase threshold appears metYou still need to meet the traveler, merchandise, retailer, and customs requirements below.

How it works

20% VAT does not mean 20% cash back.

France’s standard VAT rate is 20% of the pre-tax price. Because a store’s displayed price already includes that tax, VAT represents 20/120—or 16.67%—of the amount you pay. The retailer or its refund operator may then retain fees before sending your refund.

For example, a €1,000.00 purchase contains €166.67 of VAT. At an estimated 12% payout rate, the traveler receives €120.00 and the net purchase cost is €880.00.

Before you shop

Check your eligibility

  1. 01

    You live outside the EU

    Your habitual residence—not simply your citizenship—must be outside the European Union, and you must be at least 16.

  2. 02

    Your stay is under six months

    Tourist tax-free shopping is for eligible visitors staying in France or the EU for strictly less than six months.

  3. 03

    The purchase qualifies

    Eligible goods must exceed €100 at a participating retailer or qualifying retail group over up to three consecutive days. They must travel with you in your personal baggage.

  4. 04

    You validate before leaving

    Get the export sales form and validate it with customs at your final EU exit before the end of the third month following the month in which you made the purchase.

Quick answers

VAT refund questions

Read the complete Paris guide →
How much VAT is included in a €1,000 purchase in France?

At France’s standard 20% VAT rate, a €1,000.00 VAT-inclusive price contains €166.67 of VAT. The VAT portion is 20/120 of the displayed price, not 20% of it.

Will I receive the full 20% VAT back?

Usually not. The retailer or refund operator may retain fees, so the amount paid to the traveler is less than the VAT contained in the price. This estimator uses 12% of the purchase price as an editable planning assumption.

What is the minimum purchase for a VAT refund in France?

French customs currently requires eligible purchases totaling strictly more than €100 at a participating retailer or qualifying retail group over up to three consecutive days. Confirm how the retailer groups purchases on its export form.

Who can claim a tourist VAT refund in France?

In general, the traveler must be at least 16, habitually reside outside the European Union, stay in the EU for less than six months, export eligible goods in personal baggage, and validate the refund form when leaving the EU.